The Betrayal of the Sage’s Stone

In the year 2021 of the Age of Light, the Hero and his companions, having endured a hundred perilous battles, finally reached the Demon Lord’s lair—the Demonic Fairy Fortress.

Legend had it that the Demonic Fairy Fortress was constructed by Balala, the first Demon Lord, nearly a millennium ago. A thousand years prior, Balala had led his demonic army in countless campaigns, flattening innumerable city-states and amassing millions of treasures within its walls.

Among these treasures lay the Sage’s Stone, a sacred relic coveted by all across the world.

“After this battle, everything should finally be over.” The Hero’s companion, Sword Saint Reid, tightened his grip on his sword. His gaze, sharp and resolute, swept across the distant Demonic Fairy Fortress.

He then turned to his other companions, a smile gracing his lips as excitement bubbled within him. “Actually… before coming here, I got engaged. She’s my childhood sweetheart, and I plan to marry her as soon as I return. You all must promise to attend my wedding then.”

“Alright, alright, we get it,” Archery Master Bright interjected. He produced a small knife, using it to lance the festering wound on his arm—a bite he’d received from a strange monster moments earlier.

“I also want to return home and resume a tranquil hunting life. These days, constantly wandering through the Demon Realm, are truly unbearable… Hiss—what in the world bit me? Damn it, it’s so itchy, and it still hasn’t healed!”

“Let me take a look,” Healing Master Willette offered, extending her hand to cover the wound. She furrowed her brows. “Hmm… this might be difficult to treat. I sense a strange magical fluctuation within. Let’s start with a simple healing spell for now. Give me some time, and I should be able to figure it out…”

Archery Master Bright caught her wrist, shaking his head with a wry smile.

“Heh heh… there won’t be time for that. The Demon Lord is preparing to flee.”

“What? The Demon Lord is escaping?”

“Yes, the Hero told me,” Bright replied, pulling gauze from his pocket to hastily bandage his wound. “I recall you inventing a potion that temporarily accelerates cell division. Could you use that on me? I should be able to last until the end of this battle.”

‘This man, truly…’

‘Ah, well, defeating the Demon Lord is indeed more important.’

Willette considered this for a moment, then retrieved a purple syringe. She slowly injected its contents into Bright’s body.

Bright’s body trembled for a moment, then he chuckled. “It worked! I feel much better. Go check on the Hero, see if he’s ready.”

****

Inside the tent, the Hero, White, held the Holy Sword, basking in the nourishing sacred fluctuations. Faint strands of golden-yellow light emanated from his form.

Willette lifted the tent flap, observing the Hero as he recovered. “How is it? Has your state been restored?”

“Almost,” the Hero replied. He opened his eyes, and a powerful, surging aura spilled forth from his body. “I feel invincible now!”

Blessing of Strength MAX, Blessing of Vitality MAX, Blessing of Mana MAX, Blessing of Perception MAX…

Helmet of Divine Grace, Breastplate of Pious Baptism, Belt of Sacred Protection, Boots of Radiant White Shadow…

Divine Light Annihilation Slash, Arrogant Sky Ascending Dragon Strike, Mountain Crushing Earth Cleaving Slash…

And the strongest sword of all, the Holy Sword.

This sword could cleave through anything in existence!

A Level 99 Hero, equipped with such power, was undeniably the strongest being on the continent!

Securing the Holy Sword at his waist, the Hero moved with a blur, appearing outside the tent in an instant. He left behind only a faint, shattered trace on the hard, devil-stone ground.

So fast! Was this the Hero’s current power?

‘With this, we are sure to win!’

Willette was overcome with excitement.

Outside the tent, the Hero drew the Holy Sword, pointing it directly at the heavens.

“Prepare to strike! Annihilate the Demon Lord!”

****

Within the grand hall of the Demonic Fairy Fortress, blood stained all four walls.

Innumerable severed limbs and fragments of demonic beasts lay strewn across the floor, like discarded refuse.

Upon the throne, the Demon Lord calmly observed the four figures below.

Below the throne, the four figures coldly stared back at the Demon Lord above.

The Demon Lord was wreathed in solidified black magical energy, making his face utterly indiscernible. He merely exuded a terrifying, bloodthirsty aura.

‘The Demon Lord’s power is indeed unfathomable,’ the Hero thought, tightening his grip on the Holy Sword.

Even though he had annihilated all the monsters around the Demon Lord, fought his way to the foot of the throne, and effectively ‘ridden a dragon to his face,’ the Demon Lord still hadn’t made a move. He simply sat calmly upon his throne.

“If you’re so confident, why did I sense your magical fluctuations preparing for a teleportation spell earlier?” the Hero scoffed. He pointed the Holy Sword directly at the Demon Lord. “Speak your final words!”

The Demon Lord on the throne smiled.

“Heh heh… you four, it truly wasn’t easy to reach this point…”

Snap. The Demon Lord snapped his fingers.

Bright suddenly trembled violently, and the wound on his leg began to bleed uncontrollably.

“No! What’s happening! Argh!” He frantically clutched the wound with one hand, but the blood flowed faster and faster. He abandoned his bow and arrows, pressing both hands against it.

“Calm down!” Healing Master Willette urgently cast a healing spell. “How can this be? It’s having no effect?!”

“Heh heh… he was bitten by an alien worm, and he’s about to transform into a demonic beast,” the Demon Lord’s voice echoed. “You should kill him quickly, or it will be too late.”

It was already too late. After a moment of hesitation from the heroes, Bright transformed into a monstrous creature covered in pustules. It constantly exuded a putrid stench and dark crimson blood-qi, radiating a palpable, terrifying killing intent.

Sword Saint Reid was the first to act, unleashing his renowned signature technique—Phantom Sword Dance.

Hundreds of purple sword-qi streaks, like surging thunder, rushed towards the monster. Each strike against its body produced a sizzling sound, reminiscent of roasting meat.

“Hahaha, it’s useless. The alien worms I created can enhance themselves based on the characteristics of their host, so an attack like yours… Eh? Ehhh? No way, big brother?” The Demon Lord, who had been watching the monster being sliced into minced meat by the Sword Saint, could no longer remain seated. “What? Are my alien worms that weak? How did it die so quickly!”

The Demon Lord hastily used an Appraisal spell to check Bright’s information.

“Tch… so he was a ranged combatant, no wonder he was instantly killed. Even with enhancements, his physical constitution was simply too poor,” the Demon Lord spat. Seeing the approaching group, he grew frantic. “Wait! Don’t rush! Let me think if I have any other tricks up my sleeve!”

“Wait for your mother!”

The Sword Saint advanced with Aurora Step, a silver gleam of his blade slashing towards the flustered Demon Lord. “Bright, I’ve avenged you!”

‘It’s over, all over…’

As the blade drew closer, the Demon Lord began to regret.

‘He shouldn’t have bothered researching that damn Sage’s Stone. The previous Demon Lord was truly unreliable.’

‘The previous Demon Lord had exhausted his life force using the Great Prophecy spell to glimpse the future. On his deathbed, he’d told him that he saw the demise of the demon race, and only the Sage’s Stone could change that fate. He’d insisted on thoroughly researching this accursed rock.’

‘Alright, fine, I’ll research this stone.’

‘Yet, his research had delayed his magical cultivation, leaving him utterly incapable of resisting the Hero’s party. He could only send his subordinates to their deaths, one after another.’

‘Now look. The research yielded nothing, the demon race was on the brink of extinction, and this wretched stone was nothing but a trap…’

‘Forget it… it’s all over…’

The Demon Lord closed his eyes, awaiting the arrival of death.

Pffft—

“Wh-why?” Sword Saint Reid turned back in disbelief, staring at the Hero. “White? Aren’t we companions…?”

The Hero silently withdrew the Holy Sword, then delivered another Divine Shatter to the Sword Saint. Reid’s body disintegrated, his wish to return home and marry dying with him. He was utterly dead.

“One more…” The Hero turned, his cold gaze falling upon Healing Master Willette.

Willette, like a startled rabbit, reflexively cast a Divine Shield. She then immediately began chanting a teleportation spell.

‘I must report back to the Archbishop. Just a little more time, and the teleportation spell will activate…’

“Did you forget?” The cold Holy Sword rested against Willette’s warm neck, the Hero’s voice appearing in her ear. “Didn’t you exhaust a colossal amount of mana yesterday to place the entire Demonic Fairy Fortress under a teleportation prohibition?”

The Divine Shield did not even momentarily deter the Hero. For he wielded the Holy Sword, a blade capable of cleaving through anything in existence.

“No…” Willette pleaded. “White, are you being controlled by the Demon Lord? Wake up! You are the kingdom’s hope, remember your mission!”

“How could this weakling Demon Lord possibly control me?” the Hero scoffed. He reached out with his other hand, pinching Willette’s chin. “Everything I’ve done has been for the Sage’s Stone.”

“Huh?”

“What ‘Hero’ nonsense? I have no desire to be one. With the Sage’s Stone, I can achieve eternal life. This secret, however, I’ll trouble you to convey to Bright and Reid.”

Divine Shatter!

Willette, too, perished, dying at the hands of the companion she trusted most.

The Demon Lord watched, dumbfounded, staring blankly at the Hero. “Perhaps… you should be the Demon Lord instead…”

The Hero turned back with a smile. Suddenly, the Holy Sword was hurled forward, tearing through the Demon Lord’s magical aura and pinning him firmly to the throne.

As his magical aura shattered, the Demon Lord’s true form was revealed.

“So this is what the Demon Lord looks like. I thought you’d be disgusting and ugly, like ordinary demons,” the Hero said, a smirk playing on his lips. “Aside from your hair and eyes, you look just like a normal human.”

Demons typically possessed repulsive features, explosive muscles, and skin that was either crimson or black. However, the Demon Lord, now revealing his true form, was slender, almost like an ordinary human. Only his white hair and purple pupils stood out distinctly.

“Hero… you, don’t you want the Sage’s Stone? I’ll give it to you. How about I even throw in a few demonic beauties…? High-ranking demons actually look quite similar to humans…” The Demon Lord swallowed hard. “Just let me go… my consorts…”

“Heh heh… do you think that’s possible?”

“Perhaps…?”

“Where is the Sage’s Stone? If I use divine power to peer into your memories, your skull will crack open.” The Hero pulled out his sword, tapping it against the Demon Lord’s head.

“It’s right…” The Demon Lord suddenly smiled mysteriously. “Under your feet.”

“What?”

The Hero looked down at his feet, suddenly noticing a magic circle beneath the Demon Lord’s throne. At this moment, the circle was shimmering brightly.

‘What the hell!’

The Hero swung the Holy Sword, intending to destroy the magic circle, but found his body devoid of strength.

“Using the strongest person in the world as a sacrifice, surely the Sage’s Stone’s true power will manifest now,” the Demon Lord sneered. While the Hero was immobilized, he slapped him across the face. “That’s for showing off!”

“What… is happening?” The Hero glared furiously at the Demon Lord.

“My throne is a summoning array, with the Sage’s Stone buried beneath it. As long as a sacrifice is offered, the Sage’s Stone can perform miracles,” the Demon Lord cackled. “You are indeed strong, but you still can’t resist the power of the Sage’s Stone, can you? Hahaha!”

“You’re using me as a sacrifice!?” The Hero struggled fiercely against his bonds.

“That’s right, hahaha.” The Demon Lord, looking up at the Hero who stood a head taller than him, mocked, “Foolish Hero! When you next reincarnate, I will find you and kill you again!”

The magic circle’s light intensified, growing ever more powerful. The arrogant Demon Lord suddenly felt a sense of unease.

‘What? I can’t move either?’

‘Ah, I was so busy showing off that I forgot to leave! It’s over, it’s all over! Don’t tell me I’m going to be sacrificed too!’

The Hero seemed to realize something, baring his teeth in a savage grin. “No way. No one would be stupid enough to sacrifice themselves, would they?”

The Demon Lord’s face flushed crimson, frantic with urgency. He could only manage a final, desperate threat. “I activated the Sage’s Stone! I can reincarnate with my memories… You, you just wait… for… me…”

A colossal beam of light erupted from beneath the ground, engulfing both their bodies. Then, like the earth’s fury, it shattered the sturdy dome and pierced through the dark firmament!

The Demonic Fairy Fortress was destroyed!